Keri Hilson to visit Nigeria

Ahead of the second season of Airtel Trace Star, the talent hunt show has been promoted for months, with ads featuring Keri Hilson dominating the airwaves. This season will feature 10 countries, as Niger joins the list of eligible countries. The show is set to surpass its success of its first season where over 2 million calls were made on the way to receiving the Best Pan-African Initiative award at the AfricaCom Awards of 2015.

That season saw Congo-Brazzaville, Tanzania and Nigeria competing in the finals. In the end, Senegalese-American singer Akon, Hilson’s predecessor, named Tanzania’s Mayunga Andrew Nalimi winner in an event hosted in Kenya.

For his efforts, Nalimi received a record deal, plus promotion and mentorship—a package worth $500,000. His first single ‘Nice Couple’, with a video shot in South Africa, was a major hit in Tanzania. His second, ‘Please Don’t Go Away’, was recorded with Akon and video shot in the US.

The second season winner will have a chance to star in a video with the ‘Knock You Down’ singer. He or she is also guaranteed promotion and exposure through the music channel Trace.

Earlier in the year, a press release claiming Keri Hilson will be releasing an album circulated on the internet. Ms Hilson has however stated that although an album is in the works, it isn’t ready for release. Her last album, No Boys Allowed, was released in 2010.